Tuesday, 26 February 2013

I started by painting the whole thing with green Acrylic paint. I then painted the trees with brown, letting the green underneath show through slightly. I then stippled the leaves on, using both light and dark green to give a bit of depth.

﻿

I then added 'grass', again using both shades of green and then using a pale blue, I added the Bluebells.

The 'tree' on the left is actually part of an old shrub I dug up in my garden, in the summer. I loved the gnarled look of it, so kept it in case I could use it!

I stamped all the LOTV fairies onto white card and coloured them with Distress Inks. Topped them with Star Dust Stickles.

I drew both the red toadstool tops onto red card and edged them with Walnut stain Distress Ink. For the stalks and the lighter toadstool, I drew them onto white card and coloured them with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and added Black Soot DI around the edges.

The Ladybird was a free gift on a magazine. The Butterflies are the Cheery Lyn Designs dies.

Because this mirror will go into my stock to sell at my markets, the fairy looking in the mirror now has a face!

I hope Lili of the Valley and you, like my birthday card. I had great fun making it. It's just a shame that the dark day today, didn't help much when taking the photos.

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Well I went to hospital this morning for my knee replacement operation and I am at home again!

I got up at 04.55 this morning, so I could have a slice of toast before 05.30, the deadline! I must admit I did go back to bed until 08.00 but didn't get any more sleep.

I had to be at the hospital for 11.30 and we did get there at 11.15. As the car park was closed and my husband couldn't find anywhere to park, I sent him off to work. I waited in the reception area until mid-day. I was then called through to a side ward, where I sat for another 10 minutes.

Eventually a nurse and another lady came in. The nurse said she was very sorry but the surgeon was not feeling well and has gone home. They apologised as said they did not know this until 11.15. So my operation was cancelled.

I said ok everyone gets ill, but why was I left all this time waiting before I was told and I was in reception at 11.15. I told them that my husband had left and gone to work as he couldn't park the car. (I was well peed off but remained polite.)﻿

They asked if 2nd March was ok and could I be there for 07.15!!!!! The nurse said she wanted me to have the first appointment, as I had been inconvenienced today. The other lady was the surgeon's operation manager. So I had no choice but to agree.

I then had to call my husband to drive all the way back to get me. It's about a 35 minute drive.

So I spent the last 2 days cleaning the house for nothing!!!!!!!!! And I will have to do it all again next week!

This is a note book I have made for my stock, to sell at my charity markets. In side there is a lined note book and a pen.

The image is a Lili Of The Valley stamp, 'Watering Can'. I love the little bird, as you can colour him as any sort of bird you want.

I have used Distress Inks to colour with. I still prefer the effect you get with the inks, rather than alcohol pens. It's much softer ﻿looking, more like a true water colour.

I have 3 more books in the 'nearly done' state, using my old Art Impressions stamps.

I made the template up myself to fit the note pad and pens I had bought. I just cut the card slightly taller than the book, then laid down the book and pen onto the card. You can then work out your score lines, allowing for the thickness of the pad and pen. I rolled up some of the backing paper to hold the pen along side the book. To hold the book closed I used double sided velcro.

I couldn't give the measurements, as they are determined by the size of the book and pen.

I feel a bit disorganised at the moment. When my day changes like this, I cannot settle to do something else very easily. I then tend to waste time, day dreaming or fiddling about.

I will now try to get all my craft things out, I had even cleaned up my desk!

Thanks for stopping by and your good wishes for my op. I will keep them for Saturday week!!

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Don't know what's going on with me but here is another pink card! And another Lili Of The Valley stamp. I feel an addiction has got me!

I have coloured the image with Distress Inks. For her face I have used Antique Linen and Tattered Rose. For her bow﻿, jacket, shoes and the flowers, I used Worn Lipstick. Shaded Lilac is on her dress, butterflies and around the inside edge of the die, Labels 18, Nestie.

The four swirly, pointy lilac pieces are Cheery Lynn Designs, Lace Corner dies. Although they are really corner dies, I hooked them over the curved edge of Label 18 and secured them at the back with a piece of tape.

The sentiment is from a Little Claire set of 12 sentiment stamps. The backing paper is from a Dovecraft Back to Basics paper pack I picked up cheap at Sandown Park fair. I used Victorian Velvet around the edge of the paper.

The next photo is rubbish again! The first 2 are true to the colours of the card.

The flowers are Memory Box dies. The centre one is Cherry Blossom and the two others are Fabulous Phlox. I used some paper from the same pack as the background paper for the flowers. I dobbled (technical term!) some white Acrylic paint on the ends of the flowers and topped of with a dash of Stickles Star Dust.

Hope you like what you see.

Thank you for stopping by and I promise not to have another pink card for my next post!

Monday, 11 February 2013

I can't believe we had snow again today. I was supposed to be going to some friends today, but cancelled it until tomorrow.

So instead, I spent the day painting our new internal doors with wood stain. ﻿ I spent Thursday, Saturday and Sunday wood filling the door frames, as the new doors were thicker than the old ones. That meant the door stops on the frames had to be moved. Then I sanded and painted them all.

I did still manage to make this card on Saturday evening. The stamp was one of Lili Of the Valley's new Spring Collection, Watering The Flowers. I coloured it with Distress Inks for a change! The backing papers are from Dovecraft, Back to Basics collection. I also used Lili Of The Valley's new clear set of stamps, Stitches, around the edges of the papers.

For the sentiment, I cut a Spellbinders Label 4 the size that fitted best and then cut it in half. I punched holes in both pieces and then stamped the sentiments. I attached it in place with double sided tape and then threaded ribbon through and tied the bow. I drew 2 little hearts onto a scrap or paper, cut them out and attached them with foam pads.

The flower was the Basics paper and cut, using the Memory Box, Fabulous Phlox Die. I edged the petals with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and Stickles Star Dust, which I also used on the Bear's hat and bag.

The first photo is the true colour of the card. The one below is not!!

If you haven't seen the new Spring release stamps from Lili of the Valley, pop over and have a look. you can buy them all for a special price!!Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your lovely messages.Hugs,Carol S.xx

Thursday, 7 February 2013

Just a quick post as I am playing with my new Lili of the Valley stamps! As I worked hard today, I feel I deserve a bit of playtime.

This is a card I call a stock card. As I make cards to sell for my charity, I have to make some simple cards to suit all ages and different tastes.

I bought this stamp at the Sandown Park Craft Fair. It's made by The Stamp Barn and made in Canada. I had been wanting a big rose stamp, as they are so useful for all occasions. And what a bargain!! It was reduced from £10 to £2!! I would have been mad not to buy it.

It stamped beautifully and I coloured it with Spectrum Noir pens. I added a little drop of Glossy Accents to a petal as a rain drop.

The Dies I used to cut out the card and the mats are from Go Create, I bought from The Craft Barn at Lingfield, Surrey.

﻿

Sorry it is a short post tonight but my Distress Inks and my new stamps are calling me!

Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comments. Also thank you to my 2 new followers ﻿taking the time to join my blog.